Device for imparting reciprocatory and oscillatory movement to baby carriages



' March-24; 1953 F. D. FRAUNF ELDER ET AL 2,632,517

DEVICE FOR IMPARTING RECIPROCATORY AND OSCILLATORY MOVEMENT TO BABYCARRIAGES Filed Oct. 17, 1949 2 SHEETSSHEET l Inventord Freder/b/rDanie/Fraunfe/der Elva L. Burner 0/10 E. 80995 Malgch 24, 1953 F. D.FRAUNFELDER ETAL 2,632,517

- DEVICE FOR IMPARTING RECIPROCATORY AND OSCILLATORY MOVEMENT TO BABYCARRIAGES Filed Oct. 17, '1949 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Inventor FrederickDan/25'!I-raunl'e/der' Elva L. Burner OlfaE. B099;

By E Attbrnqys Patented Mar. 24, 1953 DEVICE FOR IMPARTING RECIPROCATORYAND OSCILLATORY MOVEMENT TO BABY CARRIAGES Frederick Daniel Fraunfelder,Elva L. Burner, and Otto E. Buggs, Janesville, Wis.

Application October 17, 1949, Serial No. 121,771

3 Claims.

This invention comprises novel and useful improvements in a baby tenderand more specifically pertains to an apparatus for automaticallyimparting rolling and rocking agitation to a baby carriageforpredetermined timed intervals.

The principal purpose of this invention is to provide an automaticmechanism for imparting for predetermined timed intervals a controlledand adjustable rolling reciprocating and oscillatory vibratorymovementto a baby carriage to assist in pacifying and soothing infantstherein in a safe and secure manner.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device wherein eachwheel in a baby carriage may be guided during a. reciproca-tory movementthereof, and wherein each wheel may be selectively and independentlya-djustably elevated by the device, and adjustably and independentlyvertically oscillated by the device during reciprocatory movement of thecarriage.

\A still further object of the invention is to provide an improved meansfor imparting a reciprocat-ory motion to a baby carriage whilerestraining the same to a recilinear guided path of travel.

And a final important object of the invention, to be specificallyenumerated herein, is to provide an improved means for securing a babycarriage in a readily detachable manner to the device for operationthereby, and to readily adjust the length of the path of travel andconsequently the speed of the reciprocatory movement of the carriageunder the control of the device.

These, together with various ancillary objects and features of theinvention which will later become apparent as the following descriptionproceeds, are attained by the present invention, a preferred embodimentof which has been illustrated by way of example only, in theaccompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view showing the present inventionapplied in operative relation to a baby carriage for operation of thesame;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary view similar to Figure 1, parts being brokenaway;

Figure 3 is a horizontal sectional view through the baby carriageoperating device;

Figure 4 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view through the device,taken substantially from the plane of the section line 4-4 of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a vertical transverse sectional view taken substantially onthe plane of section line 55 of Figure 3;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary vertical sectional de- 2 tail view through aportion of the driving mechanism of the invention; and,

Figure 7 is a further elevational view, parts being shown in verticalsection, through the fastening means for securing the operatingconnection of the device with the baby carriage.

Referring now more specifically to the accompanying drawings, whereinlike numerals designate similar parts throughout the various views, itwill be seen that there is discloseda device indicated by the numeral,I0 and constructed in accordance with the principles of the invention,and which is operatively associated with a baby carriage indicatedgenerally by the numera1 t2, and which consists of axles M by means ofwhich the baby carriage is supported on the customary wheel [6.

in accordance with the principles of the invention, each of the wheelsot the baby carriage is mounted to abut the separate supporting rail.Each of the supporting rails consists of a base member I '8 having aninclined upper surface .20, together with an upper rail 22, having acorrespondingly inclined lower surface, whereby the upper rail may beplaced upon the lower rail with the inclined surfaces in juxtaposedposition, and longitudinally moving the upper rail with respect to thelower rail, the vertical elevation of the upper surface of the upperrail may be varied as desired. Any suitable means will be provided forsecuring the upper and lower rail together in properly adjustedposition, it being now understood. that each of the wheels of thecarriage may be separately vertically moved by adjustment of thecomplementary rail portions.

As shown in Figure 2, each of the upper rails is provided withupstanding lateral side flanges 24,

these flanges constituting guide means for retaining the wheel l'6 uponthe upper rails for guided rectilinear reciprocation therealong as setforth hereinafter.

Each of the upper rails is preferably provided with one or morelongitudinally spaced apertures at the upper surface thereof, for thereception of the shank portion :26. of a button member 28. By this meansthe button v2B may be adjusted longitudinally of the upper rail 22, andwill constitute a protuberance extending above the surface of the samewhereby upon reciprocation of the carriage, the wheel of the same willbe given a jolt or vertical oscillation during its reciprocation.Obviously, the buttons may be so positioned as to impart such a joltsimultaneously to each of the wheels of the carriage; it is preferred tohave these vibratory impacts of the wheels standing side walls 32, thisbase'being of any suitable shape and character, as desired. The sidewalls may be detachably secured to the base in order to obtain access tothe interior, thereof, the

upper ends of the side walls being inturned-to provide a top cover 34,this cover being provided'with a longitudinally extending slot 36disposed medially and longitudinally of the casing for a purpose whichwill be subsequently apparent.

If desired, the housing maybe secured in fixed relation to thesupportingrails in a desired manner as by mounting the same upon acommon supporting base or the like.

'Suitablymounted within the housin is a prime mover operating meanspreferably in the form of an electric motor 38 of any suitableconstruction, the same being provided with a cooling fan Ail, the casinghaving ventilating louver 32 for permitting the circulation of airtherethrough as shown in Figure 5.

The motor is connected with a suitable electric circuit (not shown) inany desired manner, this connection preferably including an electricconducting cable 44, having a connection 45, from which the same may beconnected with a conventional outlet plug in an electric circuit. Thecable 44 preferably includes a timing switch :88 of any conventionaldesign, this switch being adjustedto complete the electric circuit forvarious selected periods of time. The construction of such a switch issimple and well known, and forms no part of the present invention otherthan its use in such an environment, it is not believed necessary toillustrate the details of construction of the same.

A Vertical power shaft 5% is suitably journaled in the casing, and isdirectly connected as by beveled gears '52 to the armature shaft of themotor whereby the shaft 5i! may be continuously rotated during operationof the motor. At its upper end, the shaft 50 has fixedlysecured theretoa plate or disc 54 which is adapted for rotating in a horizontal plane.Conveniently, this disc may overlie the motor 38 in the interest ofcompactness, and as shown in Figures 3 and 6, the disc5 i is providedwith a radial slot in its upper surface, this slot'being T-shaped incross section, thus providing a radial surface slot 5'8, having alaterally enlarged lower portion 58. As shown in Figure 4, a headedcrank pin 68 is adjustably secured and received .in this slot, thiscrank pin having a headed portion 62 which is slidably receivedandretained in the lateral portion 58 of theslot, while the shank portionof the crank pin extends upwardly through the-radial slot 55, and has.journaled thereon one end of a connectingrod member 64. This connectingrod member is pivotally retained on the crank pin as by a washer 6 6and-a fastening nut 58, wherebyby rotation of the crank disc 54, and thecrank pin 69, a reciprocatory and oscillatory motion will be imparted tothecrank connecting rod. It is intended to adjust the crankpin rigidlyofthe slot 56, a suitable locking means may be provided for retaining thecrank pin in adjusted position.

By means of a pair of suitable supporting brackets l0 and 12, a pair ofparallel, vertically spaced guide rods, 14 and 15, are mounted withinthe casing, and a connecting member in the form of a block 18 isprovided with bores for the sliding movement upon the guide rods it andit. This connecting member has an upstanding pin figured thereon, seeFigures 4 and '7, the lower end of this pin being secured as by screwthreading into the upper end of the body "68. The other extremity of theconnecting rod is rotatably received to abut the pin 89 and isconveniently retained thereon as by a pair of collars 82 and E i. Itwill thus be seen that the fastening member ha imparted thereto 'astraight and rectilinear reciprocating motion from the continuouslyrotating power shaft 58.

Upon the upper surface, the pin 38 is provided with .a V-shaped upwardlyopening recess or socket 85 which is adapted to receive the abovementioned axle i4 .ofthe'carriage at substantially its amid-point Inorder to retain the axle in the supportingsocket, a cap or clampingmember in the shape of a U-shaped bracket 88 is slidably received on theupper end of the member 8G, this member .88, as shown in Figure 1,having vertical slots in its side walls as at :93, in order that thesame may straddle the axle it. By means of a thumb screw 92, theclamping member 88 may be detachably secured .to the member 39 to clamptheaxle .in its socket 86.

From the foregoing, the operation of the rocking mechanism will now bereadily understood. A timing switch Mlis set for any desired timeinterval, such as, for example, as a period from 10 minutes to one hour,whereupon the motor 33 will be energized. Upon rotation .of .the motor,the crank disc 54 will be rotated,.imparting reciprocating oscillationto the connecting rodlfi i, thus causing reciprocatory rectilinearmotion of the fastener i3 upon the guide rods 14 and I6 and to theconnection of this fastener with the axle of the carriage causingreciprocatory motion of the same. Thisreciproca'tory:motion of thecarriage in turn, through the members 2-3, may be utilized to impartoscillation, or vibration to the carriage during the reciprocation.

During this operation the carriage is firmly connected to the actuating.mechanism so that the 'carriageis handled with safety at all times,while the extent of the speed of reciprocation can be conrolled by thestroke of the crank member while the extent of the-agitation can belikewise assuggested.

It will .thus be seen that there has been provided a compact, sturdy,and yet highly efficient devicewhich can safely roll and rock ababycarriage for an adjustable period of time, and wherein varioustypesof agitation and rocking movement can be imparted to the carriage,as will be found to be most effective in pacifying, in soothing,orotherwise contributing to the enjoyment of an infant. The device thusprovides automatic means which will minimize, if not eliminate,thepersonal attendance of a baby sitter, with a considerable saving intime.

When the axle M is directly attached to the member 89, as in Figuresland 7, the buttons 2'5, 28 are omitted in order to avoid any likelihoodof jarring and damaging the rigid operating members '14 and 16. When thebuttons'are employed, a connecting rod 93 secures-the axle M to themember 83, as :shown in Figure 2, to'allow a .vantages, will be quiteapparent, and further description is believed to be unnecessary. How- Iever, since numerous modifications and equivalents will readily occur tothose skilled in this art after a consideration of the foregoingspecification and accompanying drawings, it is not desired to limit theinvention to the exact construction shown and described, but allsuitable modifications and changes may be resorted to which fall withinthe scope of the appended claims.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. A baby carriage rocker comprising adjustable supporting rails foreach whee1 of a baby carriage, mechanism for imparting a reciprocatorymovement of the baby carriage on its supporting rails, said mechanismcomprising a source of power including a rotary shaft, a plate fixed onsaid shaft, said plate having a radially extending slot therein, a crankpin adjustably secured in said slot, a connecting member secured at oneend to said crank pin and having a fastener on its other end, a guidefor reciprocatory movement of said fastener, said fastener including abody having a carriage axle receiving recess in the upper portionthereof, a cap detachably secured to said body for embracing an axle,said connecting member being pivoted to said body.

2. A baby carriage rocker comprising adjustable supporting rails foreach wheel of a baby carriage, and a mechanism for imparting ahorizontal reciprocatory movement to the baby carriage on its supportingrails, each of said supporting rails comprising a vertically adjustablerail having means thereon for imparting a vertical oscillation to thecarriage wheel supported thereon as the carriage is reciprocated, saidrail comprising an upper member and a lower member, each being wedgeshaped with their inclined surfaces being in juxtaposed position wherebylongitudinal movement of one upon the other will vary the verticalelevation of the upper member.

3. A baby carriage rocker comprising adjustable supporting rails foreach wheel of a baby carriage, and a mechanism for imparting ahorizontal reciprocatory movement to the baby carraige on its supportingrails, each of said supporting rails comprising a vertically adjustablerail having means thereon for imparting a vertical oscillation to thecarriage wheel supported thereon as the carriage is reciprocated, saidrail comprising an upper member and a lower member, each being wedgeshaped with their inclined surfaces being in juxtaposed position wherebylongitudinal movement of one upon the other will vary the vertica1elevation of the upper member, said oscillating means comprising aprojecting button mounted on each upper rail member.

FREDERICK DANIEL FRAUNFELDER.

ELVA L. BURNER.

OTTO E. BUGGS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 469,591 Parker Feb. 23, 1892653,834 Winslow July 1'7, 1900 1,617,037 Vlcek Feb. 8, 1927 1,813,890Fowler July 7, 1931 1,999,957 Chlupsa Apr. 30, 1935 FOREIGN PATENTSNumber Country Date 38,981 Sweden June 16, 1915 749,967 France Aug. 2,1933

